In the end times, many children bring more blessings. I pick up a goddess every day.

Golden sunlight pierced through the clouds, illuminating the rolling mountains and dense forests, dispelling the chill of the night. The air was filled with the fresh scent of grass and trees, and the occasional clear bird song invigorated the spirit.

After flying, Liu Yang and Su Qingyao finally arrived at their destination—Qingyang City.

From afar, Qingyang City resembled a colossal beast lurking on the plains. Its walls, dozens of feet high, were entirely constructed of massive blue-green rocks, appearing exceptionally sturdy and majestic. The walls were covered with traces of various defensive formations, emitting a faint spiritual glow, giving the impression of indestructibility. On the walls, the figures of patrolling guards could be vaguely seen, their expressions serious, their sharp eyes scanning the surroundings, guarding against any possible threat.

The city gates were bustling with activity, a constant stream of cultivators and mortals coming and going. There were travelers carrying packs, their faces weary yet filled with anticipation for the unknown journey ahead; there were merchants pushing carts, their carts laden with all sorts of goods, from ordinary daily necessities to low-grade magical artifacts and elixirs, their cries rising and falling in a lively cacophony; and there were city guards in armor, armed with weapons, standing in rows on either side of the gates, maintaining order and occasionally checking those entering the city.

"Master, that's Qingyang City." Su Qingyao pointed to the giant city ahead and said respectfully to Liu Yang. After a night of flying and her previous lesson, she became even more obedient, and her tone carried more reverence. She could feel that as they got closer to Qingyang City, the spiritual energy in the air became increasingly dense, clearly indicating that this was an ideal place for cultivation.

Liu Yang nodded slightly, his gaze calmly sweeping over Qingyang City ahead. The city walls were sturdy, the defenses tight, and the spiritual energy within was abundant, truly a prosperous place. He could vaguely sense that many powerful auras were hidden within the city; clearly, Qingyang City was a place where hidden talents lurked, and it was not as simple as it appeared on the surface.

"Let's go."

With a soft command, Liu Yang took the lead and walked towards the city gate. His steps seemed slow, yet each stride covered several meters, his movements graceful and unrestrained, as if he were strolling leisurely.

Su Qingyao dared not delay and quickly followed behind. She drew her Flowing Wind Sword, its blade enveloped in a faint azure halo, supporting her as she followed Liu Yang at a distance. Her gaze warily surveyed the surroundings, a mixture of curiosity about Qingyang City and unease stirring within her. She knew that the journey ahead would likely not be easy.

The two quickly arrived at the city gate. Guarding the gate were four cultivators dressed in uniform, dark blue armor engraved with simple runes, offering some defensive protection. They carried long spears, the tips gleaming coldly, their sharp eyes scrutinizing everyone entering the city with serious, meticulous expressions.

These four guards were all at the early Foundation Establishment stage. While not top-tier, they were still quite capable among city gate guards. After all, Qingyang City was a major city in the area, with many cultivators coming and going. Without sufficient strength, one simply couldn't fulfill the duties of a city gate guard.

When Su Qingyao appeared at the city gate, the four guards were immediately drawn to her.

Su Qingyao was already stunningly beautiful, with a pure and ethereal beauty, like a celestial being descended to earth. She had a perfect oval face, with skin as white as snow and so delicate it seemed to break at a touch; her large, clear eyes were as tender as autumn water, and her long eyelashes trembled slightly, adding to her captivating charm; below her small, exquisite nose was a cherry-red mouth, and when the corners of her mouth turned up slightly, two shallow dimples would appear, making one unable to resist being affectionate.

Although she looked slightly tired after a night of travel, her stunning beauty remained undeniable, adding a touch of pitiful charm. Especially striking was her unique aura of a cultivator, cool and noble, which drew everyone's attention.

"What a beautiful fairy!"

"Whose female cultivator is this? I've never seen her before."

"Tsk tsk, she's absolutely stunning! If I could marry a woman like that, it would be worth it even if I had to give up ten years of my life!"

The four guards' eyes instantly turned fervent. They exchanged knowing glances, and one of them, a guard with a full beard, stepped forward, blocking their path. His gaze greedily swept over Su Qingyao, as if he wanted to etch her image into his very bones.

"Halt!" the bearded guard said rudely, his gaze lingering brazenly on Su Qingyao. "Who are you? What are you doing in Qingyang City?"

Su Qingyao frowned slightly. She could sense the ill intent in the other person's eyes, but she still suppressed her displeasure and said softly, "We are cultivators from out of town, passing through Qingyang City. We would like to rest for a while and also gather some information." Her voice was gentle and melodious, like heavenly music, making one's heart flutter.

"From out of town?" The bearded guard raised an eyebrow, a malicious smile playing on his lips. "Since you're from out of town, you should know the rules."

He pointed to an inconspicuous sign next to him, which read in small print: "All cultivators entering the city must pay an entrance fee of one hundred low-grade spirit stones per person for Foundation Establishment cultivators."

Su Qingyao's heart sank. Although this was her first time in Qingyang City, she had heard that large cities like this usually only charged ordinary people a small entrance fee, while cultivators, especially those at the Foundation Establishment stage or above, were typically allowed entry for free. After all, cultivators were powerful and couldn't be offended, and their arrival could also bring vitality and revenue to the city.

Clearly, these guards, seeing her beauty and noticing Liu Yang's ordinary attire, assumed he wasn't someone important and decided to take advantage of her. They were used to extorting money from passing cultivators and ordinary people, relying on their position as city gate guards.

“We will naturally pay the city entrance fee.” Su Qingyao took out two hundred low-grade spirit stones from her storage bag and handed them over. “This is for both of us, please count it.” Her movements were elegant and composed, and she did not appear flustered by the other party’s difficult request.

The bearded guard didn't take the spirit stones. Instead, he reached out to touch Su Qingyao's cheek and said in a flirtatious tone, "With such beauty, how could two hundred low-grade spirit stones be enough? Why don't you... have a few drinks with us brothers, and we'll waive the entrance fee for you? How about that?" His fingers were rough and dirty, with an unpleasant smell of sweat, as he reached towards Su Qingyao's stunning face.

The other three guards joined in the laughter, their eyes lewd and filled with provocation and ill intent. They surrounded the two, blocking their path, clearly wanting to take advantage of the situation.

"Insolence!" Su Qingyao's expression changed drastically. She took a step back, avoiding the bearded guard's hand, and looked at him coldly. "Stop talking nonsense!"

Although she was currently under Liu Yang's control, her inherent pride would not allow anyone to insult her like this. She was a gifted cultivator, not some mortal woman who could be easily harassed.

"Oh ho? Pretty arrogant, huh?" The bearded guard's smile vanished, and his eyes turned fierce. "You bitch, you don't know what's good for you, do you? Believe me or not, I'll take you down right now and show you what I'm capable of!" His tone was full of threat, and he exuded a pressure from the early Foundation Establishment stage, enveloping Su Qingyao.

The other three guards also released their auras, working in tandem with the bearded guard to try and force Su Qingyao into submission. They were seasoned guards at the city gates and were quite adept at dealing with cultivators from other places; usually, a little pressure was all it took for the other party to obey.

Seeing this, the cultivators and ordinary people entering the city all stopped in their tracks and watched the commotion from a distance, but no one dared to interfere. After all, these city gate guards were backed by the three major families of Qingyang City, and ordinary people simply couldn't afford to offend them. If they offended them, it would be a minor matter if they couldn't move an inch in Qingyang City, and they might even face death.

Su Qingyao was filled with anger and humiliation, but she knew she couldn't act impulsively. Although her cultivation was at the mid-Foundation Establishment stage, she had just experienced a major battle, and her spiritual power hadn't fully recovered. Moreover, there were four of them on the other side, and she wasn't confident of victory if she made a move.

She instinctively looked at Liu Yang beside her, hoping he would intervene again. In her mind, only Liu Yang could save her from this predicament.

However, Liu Yang remained standing there, his expression indifferent, as if he hadn't seen anything happening before him. His gaze didn't even linger on the guards, but rather swept over the city walls and formations above the city gate, seemingly more interested in those. His expression was as calm as a deep pool, making it impossible to discern his thoughts.

“Master…” Su Qingyao called out softly, her tone tinged with grievance and pleading. Her voice was not loud, but it reached Liu Yang’s ears clearly in the noisy environment.

Liu Yang then slowly turned his head to look at the bearded guard. His eyes were calm and expressionless, yet they carried an invisible pressure. That pressure, like Mount Tai pressing down, instantly enveloped the entire city gate entrance.

"roll."

A single word clearly reached the bearded guard's ears. The voice was plain and unremarkable, yet it seemed to possess a certain magic, causing the bearded guard's body to tremble involuntarily.

The bearded guard froze for a moment, seemingly not quite understanding. He stared at Liu Yang in disbelief, thinking he had misheard: "Kid, what did you just say? Say it again and see what happens!" His face was filled with anger and disbelief; he hadn't expected this seemingly ordinary young man to dare tell him to get lost.

Liu Yang didn't say anything more, but just glanced at him indifferently.

That one glance froze the bearded guard instantly. He felt a chill run from his feet to the top of his head, as if he were being stared at by an ancient beast, his very soul trembling. He even had the illusion that the young man before him was not human at all, but a demon god from hell who could crush him into dust at any moment if he so desired.

That gaze was terrifying, so profound, filled with endless coldness and murderous intent, filling him with dread from the depths of his heart. In all his life, he had never seen such a horrifying gaze.

"You...you..." The bearded guard's face turned deathly pale, his lips trembling, unable to utter a single word. He tried to retreat, but found his body rooted to the spot, unable to move. An invisible force bound him, making it impossible for him to breathe or think.

The three guards behind him also sensed something was wrong. Their smiles vanished instantly, replaced by terror and disbelief in their eyes. They could feel that the aura emanating from Liu Yang was far more powerful than they had imagined—a power they simply couldn't contend with. That aura was like a vast starry sky, profound and mysterious, inspiring awe in them.

"Senior...Senior, spare my life!" The bearded guard finally reacted, and knelt down with a thud, kowtowing repeatedly and begging for mercy. "It was my fault for being blind and not recognizing your greatness. I beg you, senior, to have mercy on me!" His forehead slammed heavily on the ground, and blood quickly seeped out, but he did not dare to stop, only hoping to save his life.

The three guards behind him also seemed to wake from a daze, immediately kneeling on the ground, kowtowing repeatedly, and begging for mercy. They now realized that they had kicked a hornet's nest; this young man was someone they could not afford to offend.

The city gate guards, who had been so arrogant just moments before, were now kneeling on the ground, trembling like four dogs, looking utterly pathetic. Their faces were filled with fear and regret, regretting that they shouldn't have been lustful and shouldn't have provoked this demon.

The people around were dumbfounded, their faces filled with shock and disbelief. They never expected that this seemingly unremarkable young man would be so powerful, scaring the arrogant city gate guards into a panic with just a glance.

"Who is this young man? He's amazing!"

"I don't know. Judging from his appearance, he doesn't seem to be a local cultivator from Qingyang City."

"

This is going to be good! These guards, who have a history of committing numerous evil deeds, have finally met their match today!

"Shh, keep your voice down, don't let them hear you."

The crowd buzzed with discussion, their gazes towards Liu Yang filled with awe and curiosity. They were all speculating about Liu Yang's identity and background; someone with such power was definitely not an ordinary person.

Su Qingyao was also stunned. Although she knew Liu Yang was powerful, she didn't expect him to be this powerful. With just a glance, he rendered a Foundation Establishment cultivator powerless. This must be at least a late Foundation Establishment cultivator, or even a Golden Core cultivator, right?

Her gaze towards Liu Yang held not only awe but also a deep sense of apprehension. She was even more certain that her previous schemes were utterly insignificant in front of Liu Yang. To try and play tricks on him was simply courting death.

Liu Yang ignored the guards kneeling on the ground begging for mercy and simply said to Su Qingyao, "Let's go."

"Yes, Master," Su Qingyao replied hastily, quickly following Liu Yang's footsteps. Her heart was filled with gratitude; if it weren't for Liu Yang's intervention, she truly didn't know what she would have encountered today.

The two walked straight past the guards, who didn't dare raise their heads, afraid of angering this menacing figure. Their bodies continued to tremble, their hearts filled with terror.

Only after Liu Yang and Su Qingyao disappeared inside the city gate did the guards dare to raise their heads, their faces still filled with fear. They looked at each other, and in each other's eyes, they saw the relief of surviving a disaster.

"Who...who was that person? It was terrifying!" a thin guard said, his voice still trembling with fear.

"I don't know, they don't seem to be cultivators from near Qingyang City." The bearded guard wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, which was already red and swollen from being knocked. "In the future, I must be careful when I encounter such unfathomable people, and I must never provoke them again!" His tone was full of lingering fear; today's events had taught him a profound lesson.

The other guards nodded in agreement. Today's incident had left a very deep impression on them, making them never dare to provoke outside cultivators again.

Liu Yang and Su Qingyao, after entering the city, were not affected by what had just happened.

The interior of Qingyang City was even more prosperous than the exterior. Wide streets were lined with shops, displaying a dazzling array of goods. The streets were teeming with people, shoulder to shoulder, creating a lively atmosphere. Cultivators and mortals mingled together, each busy with their own affairs, forming a unique scene.

Looking at the bustling street before her, Su Qingyao said to Liu Yang, "Master, where are we going now? Should we find a place to stay first, or go directly to inquire about the Zhao family?" She knew that Liu Yang's purpose in this trip was to obtain the Ice Thunder Token and the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Prison, and according to ancient records, the Ice Thunder Token was likely related to the Zhao family in Qingyang City.

Liu Yang's gaze swept across both sides of the street, finally settling on a rather upscale-looking restaurant not far away. This restaurant, named "Drunken Immortal Pavilion," was three stories high, with carved beams and painted rafters, and ornate decorations. Two large red lanterns hung at the entrance, giving it a very grand appearance. The restaurant was bustling with activity, clearly a good place to gather information.

"Let's go sit there for a while," Liu Yang said, pointing to the restaurant. "And we can also gather some information."

"Yes, Master." Su Qingyao had no objections and quickly followed Liu Yang toward the restaurant.

A minor disturbance at the city gate was thus quelled. But Liu Yang knew this was just the beginning. In this seemingly prosperous Qingyang City, more challenges and dangers awaited him. And his entanglement with the three major families of Qingyang City was about to begin.